Sen. Michelle Kidani

Maddy summarySB 608 regulates paid advisors who provide assistance with veterans' benefits applications or appeals. It directly affects veterans who hire such advisors, as well as the advisors themselves, by requiring them to meet specific standards when charging for their services. The bill establishes rules for how these advisors can operate, including transparency requirements and restrictions on certain fees. This aims to protect veterans from unscrupulous practices while ensuring they receive accurate guidance on accessing their benefits. The law takes effect on July 1, 2077.

Requires the Board of Land and Natural Resources to adopt rules to impose user fees that apply solely to nonresidents visiting state parks and trails, as selected by the Board. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Amends the definition of "eligible business activity" for State Enterprise Zone Program purposes to include retail sales of tangible personal property manufactured and sold in the enterprise zone to the final consumer, the processing of value-added agricultural products grown within an enterprise zone, the provision of professional services by health care professionals in health-care-related sectors, the use of advanced manufacturing to produce products, or the development of cybersecurity technology. Extends the eligibility period of the state business tax credit and general excise tax exemption for qualified businesses within state enterprise zones from 7 years to 9 years. Extends the eligibility period of the general excise tax exemption for qualified businesses within state enterprise zones engaged in the manufacturing of tangible personal property or the producing or processing of agricultural products from 10 years to 12 years. Makes the extension of the state business tax credit eligibility period applicable to taxable years beginning after 12/31/2025. Makes the extension of the general excise tax exemption eligibility period take effect on 1/1/2027. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Establishes an Audit Office within the Board of Education to audit operations and expenditures of the Department of Education. Exempts positions within the Audit Office from civil service law. Requires annual reports to the Governor and Director of Finance. Authorizes the Legislature to request a copy of the annual reports. Establishes positions within the Audit Office. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD2)

Requires the Department of Education and public charter schools to take certain steps regarding incidents of harassment and implement procedures for handling harassment of educational workers. (SD1)

Requires the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, in consultation with the Insurance Commissioner, to establish and implement a five-year voluntary Nontraditional Workforce Portable Health Care Benefit Plan Pilot Program that offers high deductible health plans or catastrophic health plans to nontraditional workers who are ineligible for health benefits provided by the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund or prepaid health care plans under the Prepaid Health Care Act. Requires reports to the Legislature. Appropriates funds. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Maddy summaryThis bill would increase the maximum number of bedrooms that a single individual wastewater system can serve from five to six. The change directly affects homeowners and property owners who rely on private septic or individual wastewater systems for their properties. The provision would take effect on July 1, 3000, allowing larger homes to use existing individual systems without needing to connect to municipal sewer infrastructure. This adjustment modifies current regulations to accommodate larger residential properties while maintaining the individual system framework.

Requires the Director of Commerce and Consumer Affairs to make certain contact information for newly registered entities available online. Requires the Director to transmit the contact information to the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism's Business Development and Support Division. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)

Maddy summarySB 2010 authorizes law enforcement to impound motor vehicles when specific traffic violations are alleged or committed. It directly affects drivers who commit those violations, allowing authorities to seize vehicles as a consequence. The key provision enables immediate impoundment without requiring a court conviction first. This bill changes enforcement procedures by giving officers this authority upon violation allegations. The bill is currently pending introduction in the legislature.

Authorizes the Department of Land and Natural Resources and certain public or private entities to operate conservation banks, subject to approval from the Board of Land and Natural Resources, for situations where a person or entity is required to provide compensatory mitigation to offset adverse impacts to threatened, endangered, candidate, or proposed species as part of an approved incidental take license and habitat conservation plan. Adds the Associate Director of the United States Geological Survey, Ecosystems Mission Area, to the membership of the Endangered Species Recovery Committee. Requires the Endangered Species Recovery Committee to review applications and proposals for conservation banks and conduct subsequent reviews and oversight. Effective 7/1/3000. (HD1)